Vikings offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave knows more than a little something about having a rookie quarterback as a starter. Musgrave was the quarterbacks coach in Atlanta in 2008 during Matt Ryan's rookie season and got an up-close look at what works and what doesn't for an NFL newbie.

He also was the offensive coordinator in Jacksonville in 2003 when Byron Leftwich started 13 games as a rookie.

I talked Thursday with Musgrave about the latest rookie quarterback he is preparing for games, Christian Ponder.

BS: Will you streamline the offense for Ponder?

BM: Not necessarily. He's doing a good job of staying up to speed even though it's had to be through osmosis and not being out there on the field. We feel he can handle a full complement of volume.

BS: Will the offense be much different than it was for Donovan McNabb, or will it be identical?

BM: It will be somewhat tailored to Christian's strengths, which probably include a little bit more movement, a little bit more athletic ability, just because he's younger and his legs are a little fresher.

BS: How much of the offense were you comfortable using with McNabb considering he came in late because of the lockout? Did he have 100 percent of your offense to work with, or were you working it in slowly?

BM: Well, the whole team came in late. There was no offseason. We tried to make a good decision as a staff as to keeping our volume in check and, at the same time, being as diverse as we can.

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BS: What percentage of the offense will be available to Ponder?

BM: We're not going to hold anything back with him. He's plenty sharp enough and his huddle management will be impeccable, and we should be able to go full steam ahead.

BS: At what point did you feel comfortable that Ponder was ready to start?

BM: I'd say probably after the third or possibly fourth preseason game when he got that start against Houston. We felt like he had progressed and he'd be OK if and when he was called upon.

BS: What excites you the most about Ponder?

BM: I think he's a dynamic athlete. Not only does his body work quick, but his mind works quick as well. All quarterbacks who play at this level have to be extremely sharp so he fits into that mold and, being that he's young, he's ready to let it all hang out.

BS: Anything about him that you fret about? Maybe that he gets a little too daring?

BM: In college (at Florida State), he was a fearless runner, to a fault. We've talked about that since we drafted him - that he still wants to use his legs, but we've got to use good judgment late in the down.

BS: What should people expect Sunday - a lot of passes to the tight ends and screens to the backs, or will you open it up?

BM: We're definitely going to want to spread it around. We want to spread the ball around and get him into a rhythm. We also want to make it tough for defenses to key on Adrian (Peterson). We're going to try to be diverse and tough to defend.

BS: What did you learn from coaching Matt Ryan as a rookie that can help you mentor Ponder?

BM: Well, there's going to be some boneheaded mistakes made. The key is to try to minimize those and learn from them. When you start repeating them, that's when your progress as an offense and a quarterback are restricted.

BS: What similarities are there between Ponder and Ryan (who went to Boston College)?

BM: They both came from outstanding college systems where they were asked to perform pro offense-style concepts. So that's good. You don't have to teach them to take a snap from center or do a play-action pass. Those are similarities.

BS: Are there any plays where Ponder has come to you and said, "Coach, I love this play. Please call it."

BM: Not as of yet because I don't think he's had enough time on task to run those plays, but I'm sure those days are coming.

BS: Do you know yet what advice you will give to Ponder just before you send him into the game?

BM: Well, I always want to keep him relaxed. I think everybody plays better when they're relaxed. So we may insert a little bit of humor if we need to and make sure he's focused on what's really important - not the grand scheme of things but the little pictures. And (tell him), "If you complete enough passes in a row, we'll definitely like the end result after 60 minutes."